COVID-19 is reshaping life for all of us, but it’s taking the greatest toll on communities that were already vulnerable prior to the start of this pandemic. The girls and women GEMS serves are at greater risk now and we’ve adapted to mitigate this increased risk.

All of our drop-in center programs are now virtual, ensuring daily connectivity and support for GEMS members including:

• Daily groups that support and engage our girls and young women are now taking place via Zoom, and usage of social media platforms are acting as additional touchpoints

• Supporting our young women in our Educational Initiative program whose schools have transitioned to online learning 

• Usage of GEMS’ newly created app that connects our members and staff, provides a calendar of daily virtual activities, and provides other important resources

• Continued issuance of stipends for group attendance 

• A fully operational housing program that continues to ensure the women we serve are safe and well cared for

As we continue to navigate all of this, we’re going to need your support more than ever. 

One of our most pressing needs right now, beyond the basic necessities of food, diapers, and toiletries, is making sure that our girls have phones and phone cards so they can stay connected. We’re looking to support our young women in college with basic laptops so that they don’t end up missing the whole semester of online learning. We want to support our young women who are parents and need to provide the basics for their children. And we want to provide as many resources as possible for our young women who may be homeless or in unsafe situations so that this virus isn’t the reason they stay trapped. 

Please support our efforts by making a donation today or visit our Amazon Wishlist to send basic needs items. THANK YOU!

In 1998, Rachel Lloyd founded GEMS to give the girls and young women of NYC who had been commercially sexually exploited a place for support and a place to create positive change in their lives. Our vision is to end the commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and young women.

We created The Survivor Leadership Institute and Resource Center (SLI) to help change the way girls and young women who have been in the life are seen by the world. The SLI helps survivors of CSEC and domestic trafficking learn to become leaders in their own life.

We provide training and technical assistance to agencies and institutions across the US that work with at risk youth, victims and survivors of domestic trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.